Baby it's cold outside...

So if you're anything like me you will be hunkering down in the warm, and what better place to do that than in your cosy kitchen rustling up homemade soup.

(of course if I was a true food writer my soup would have had its swirl of cream and snipped chives to dress it up, I was just anxious to take the picture and eat it!)

A few years ago I was lucky enough to be sent a book 'Hungry' by the lovely people at Innocent. I've made several of the recipes over time but the section about soup has made it my go to bible when I want some inspiration.
This sweet potato soup recipe comes from that book and it is deeelicious!! Just the job for warming you up on these cold days. And the added bonus is there's usually enough to pop some in the freezer for another day.
The leek and potato recipe comes from The British Cookbook  which I bought at Asda some time ago and is a particular favourite. Can't seem to find it anywhere but on eBay now!

I know this blog is known mainly for sewing but I do love cooking when I'm in the mood and my kitchen is somewhere I love to be. It is one of only two rooms in the house where I have allowed my vintage collecting to influence the decor, (the other being my sewing room of course)

So do you have any favorite warming recipes to share I would love to hear from you if you have. In the meantime I am off  to snuggle down on the settee with a good book and an equally warming whisky and soda.

TTFN

Jenny xx

VERY EXCITED...but a little anxious!!

Tomorrow our 2nd grandson will be delivered and though we are thrilled and very excited as a mum you can understand why I am still a bit anxious.
I have therefore been keeping myself very busy..

There is a huge stew slow cooking in the oven as all the expectant family will be dining here this evening because grandson no.1 will be staying with us for a few days while mummy is in hospital and they can then put him to bed themselves as I'm sure leaving him will be a real wrench.

His little room is about ready, Victorian pine bed, bespoke mattress (as it's only 6 foot long, so we couldn't buy one ready made), new bedding and a few toys to make it more like home. Still a bit to do but I think he will like it. It was his bedroom when they lived with us, but his previous furniture has gone to his new home...

I have also been making leek and potato soup for my lunch from this recipe...

....believe me this is one of the best cookery books for simplicity, straight forward ingredients and tasty recipes I have used for a long time....

..now I love to cook but sometimes the whole preparation thing puts me off. I am not a chef and have never yet accomplished the rapid chopping that they seem to do while still leaving fingers in one piece. But I have my trusty gadget....had it years, can't remember when I bought it..the Braun multimix...

This amazing little machine saves getting out the food processor and chops raw carrot, peppers onion etc. in seconds. It also grinds granulated sugar to icing sugar and even grinds whole nutmegs....

Another gadget, bought on a whim I must admit at a Good Food Show many moons ago is my Daily hand blender. I was eyeing up the Bamix but at the time it was way out of my price bracket and they were demonstrating the Daily (at under half the price) and it really did seem to work just as well. Well I can tell you many years later it still blends my soups beautifully, minces up meat for pate and makes wonderful mousse from skimmed milk, so for once 'you only get what you pay for' appears to not be quite true.

So as I finally sit down to lunch on my soup and home made bread, I am racking my brain for something else to occupy me and my mind....perhaps I could start cutting out those new curtains......

(beautiful scented roses from the garden...)

Bon Appetit

I will be back to show off our newcomer soon...

TTFN

Jenny xx

PS Have you seen the film Julie and Julia...Meryl Streep...great if you like to cook and a really lovely feel good movie....